Thread: the Wasatch's new worst enemy=TALISKER

Originally Posted by wilcox510

Is that an official proposal, or just a pipe dream? I'm guessing they might have some issues with water rights (and water shed)...

These are real proposals. Whether or not they happen will somewhat be up to the public.

Originally Posted by BRUTAH

does anyone have a link to the letter the buxton's or whoever sent the FS last year asking to charge BC skiers to ski cardiff-days-silver fork area??? they wanted like $3/day or $300/season. i remember seeing it up here at some point but can't find it in a search........

Maybe Salt Lake Country should charge the Buxtons' for access to 'their' goods. Seems fair.

Shocking expose of truth!!

The Canyons needs to just focus on their little cluster right now and figure out how they can get people from the bottom of the mountain to the top without multiple chairs. Maybe a little thought to interconnecting their mountain without having to down load on lifts to avoid millionaires fourth homes and their unobstructed views. (funny how they have the same issues with ski runs and biking trails)

Once they clean up their home turf, I'll think about whether they deserve to be the point of the resort interconnect. In the interim, I'd be more trusting of the management at PC or DV. A historic track record of ski area mangement does not yet pair up with the canyons and Talisker.

Right now, I can say they build some nice homes!!

Originally Posted by BRUTAH

does anyone have a link to the letter the buxton's or whoever sent the FS last year asking to charge BC skiers to ski cardiff-days-silver fork area??? they wanted like $3/day or $300/season. i remember seeing it up here at some point but can't find it in a search........

http://telemarktalk.com/phpBB/viewto...ghlight=buxton

Originally Posted by wilcox510

http://telemarktalk.com/phpBB/viewto...ghlight=buxton

With the added bonus of water resource engineering at the end....what?

Bump for jongs who don't search and post new threads on topics already being discussed in a 258-post thread.

New press release and web site reveals out today:

Gondola to Connect Canyons Resort and Solitude Mountain Resort



Park City, Utah, November 17, 2011 - Canyons is upping the ante of the Utah ski experience, proposing a gondola for a new transportation connection between the Wasatch Front and Wasatch Back mountains. Introduced today as SkiLink (www.skilink.com), the transportation connection will create the most unique ski network in the United States, uniting an unprecedented 6,000 acres of existing, interconnected terrain for snowsport enthusiasts to enjoy.



“SkiLink creates a game-changing advantage for Utah and for the U.S. snowsport industry,” said Mike Goar, managing director, Canyons, a Talisker Mountain Inc. resort. “It would establish Utah as the most interesting and convenient mountain destination in the U.S. and will positively benefit our local economies. Utah features ‘The Greatest Snow on Earth’ and with SkiLink now delivers an unrivaled skiing experience of the largest expanse of ski terrain in the country.”



The eight-passenger SkiLink gondola will have the capacity to transport 1,000 people per hour each way and is projected to transport skiers between Canyons and Solitude Mountain Resort in just 11 minutes.



“Connecting the resorts has been discussed for years, but Talisker Mountain Inc. had the vision to link the slopes of the Wasatch Back and Front in the simplest of ways,” said Goar. “Every day during the ski season, out-of-town and local skiers roam between Canyons and the Big Cottonwood Canyon resorts to experience the diversity of terrain each has to offer. Studies have reported that SkiLink would decrease canyon traffic by providing an alternative to the 45-mile drive between the two canyons that can take 45 minutes to an hour depending on traffic. Plus, staying on the slopes during your ski day is a whole lot more fun than driving.”



SkiLink is designed specifically as a transportation-only connection between Canyons and Solitude and will not impact backcountry skiers. SkiLink skiers and snowboarders will enter/exit the gondola at Canyons or Solitude. The gondola will not make any stops at any interim point where riders would exit.



To support the connection between Canyons and Solitude resorts, Congressman Rob Bishop who serves as Chairman of the Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands, along with House colleague, Representative Jason Chaffetz and Senators Orrin Hatch and Mike Lee jointly introduced House and Senate companion legislation today providing for the sale of 30.3 acres of land at fair market value on which the project will be constructed.



Under the directed sale introduced in the Bill, the legislation paves the way for environmental studies that are required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Endangered Species Act and all other applicable laws to commence. Additionally, Canyons will comply with all regulations for seeking permit approvals from Salt Lake and Summit Counties, and will work with Salt Lake City and Summit County on watershed and water quality assurance.



“SkiLink presents tremendous lifestyle, economic and transportation benefits for Utah residents and our nation,” said Rep. Rob Bishop. “I have great confidence in the preparation Canyons has completed to this point for the proposed connection. I am pleased to support their vision by introducing this legislation, which will facilitate the next steps of this public process.”



“I am very supportive of the SkiLink concept, and I see in it the potential for an exciting future for the Utah ski industry,” said Senator Orrin Hatch. “The idea of connecting Utah’s major ski resorts has been discussed for more than a decade, and I am impressed that SkiLink would enable skiers and snowboarders to move freely among the resorts, significantly enhancing the Utah ski experience with positive long-term benefits for the state’s tourism economy.”



“An economic impact analysis reported that SkiLink would produce more than 500 new permanent jobs for Utah’s travel and tourism industry and could initially infuse $51 million into our local economy,” said Goar. “An estimated 20-year total economic impact could be $101 million per year from SkiLink’s ongoing operation.“



A traffic analysis demonstrated SkiLink would reduce ski season traffic through Big Cottonwood Canyon by as much as 18,000 cars per year. Initially that means around 1 million fewer miles driven per year and around 1 million fewer pounds of greenhouse gas emissions.



Additionally, preliminary studies of the habitats, wildlife, watershed and visual landscape have been conducted of the proposed SkiLink corridor. Findings reported no significant impacts to wetlands, watersheds, listed species habitat, or other sensitive areas. SkiLink would rely on minimally invasive construction techniques. Helicopters would be used for concrete and tower placement.



As part of the public process, Canyons will continue to involve interested parties.



“The SkiLink vision has been in the works for many years and we are glad to be at a point where we can share the details of the proposed project and express our excitement and enthusiasm for the tremendous experience and benefits it offers for Utah and snowsport enthusiasts from around the globe,” said Goar. “We appreciate the efforts, support and assistance of Rep. Bishop, Sen. Hatch, Sen. Lee and Rep. Chaffetz for introducing this legislation that enables the public process to continue. We look forward to the next phases of the process as we work to further support and add to the amazing recreation opportunities our state can offer.”



About Talisker

Talisker is a lifestyle development company, and owner of Canyons Resort. Talisker has invested substantially in Utah over the last 10 years, and currently employs approximately 2,000 people in Utah. The Robb Report has touted Talisker as the Number 1 mountain community destination experience in the U.S.



About Canyons

Canyons Resort, a Talisker mountain destination, offers 4,000 acres of exceptional skiing and snowboarding terrain, 182 trails, 5 world class lodging properties including 35,000 square feet of flexible meeting space and a variety of dining options. Salt Lake City International Airport is just 35 minutes away and provides unparalleled access from anywhere in the world.



About Solitude Mountain Resort

Solitude Mountain Resort, a year-round, family-friendly destination, receives more than 500 inches of the Greatest Snow on Earth(TM) every year and is located just 40 minutes from the Salt Lake City International Airport.



Press Contacts:

Steve Pastorino, Talisker Public Relations, 435-615-3308, spastorino@taliskermountain.com

Stephanie Miller, Canyons Public Relations, 801-487-4800 x141, cell: 801-209-8634, smiller@ppbh.com

Mary Rice, Canyons Public Relations, 801-487-4800 x144, cell: 801-557-2743, mrice@ppbh.com



Editor Notes:

1. Mike Goar, Canyons managing director is available for one-on-one briefings between 10:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. MT Nov. 17. Contact Mary Rice at 801-487-4800 x144 or Stephanie Miller at 801-487-4800 x141 to schedule a briefing.

2. Fact sheets for each of the preliminary studies that have been conducted to date are available on the SkiLink website.

http://skilink.com/index.php

http://skilink.com/dld/SkiLink-Fact-...ironmental.pdf

Looks like they've tweaked the proposal a bit, and they've retained a firm that does NEPA work for power companies to help with the enviros. Well-known greedheads Hatch and Bishop have weighed in with their approval.

Seems like a massive waste of time to me but that's skiing at the Can.

i love how they keep saying that they'll do this all with helicopters and the impact on the watershed will be minimal. such bullshit. like are they going to fly their whole crew in to install towers and cables.... ummmm NO! sure, you fly in the towers, but your crew is going to take service roads. and it does nothing to keep people from driving to big from pc, because the pc side gondola loading area is half way up the mountain!

yea shit is dumb. skilink.com...... hey lets make a website that will lobby for us. dumb dumb dumb. fuck ted wilson, that guy is the biggest douche ever,what a phoney.

"The elegant, quiet and non-invasive transportation option will decrease canyon traffic while increasing access and enjoyment to both resorts in an environmentally sensitive way for skiers and snowboarders all along the Wasatch Front and Back.

The use of helicopters for concrete placement and tower installations creates a minimally invasive construction technique. Watershed protection will be provided though the very latest, proven design and construction mitigation methods. Intelligent phasing and logistics to minimize use of ground-based equipment will be utilized and management and operating procedures will tread lightly on the natural landscape."
BULLSHIT

quit acting like any of the quad canyon area has been wilderness in the even memorable recent past

Originally Posted by Woodsy

quit acting like any of the quad canyon area has been wilderness in the even memorable recent past

mt olympus wilderness area, twin peaks wilderness area, lone peak wilderness area. there is actually a lot of wilderness acreage in the "quad canyon area"

what ever happened to matheson's bill. that shit would be awesome

http://www.utahoutside.com/2010/04/c...rotection-act/

watershed protection has precedent over all developments in the wasatch. protecting the water is super important in utah, 60% of a million peoples water supply comes from that snow we ski on.

I assume SOC will be all over this correct?

thank, god TGR is back up...I was going to get blacklisted at the Canyons if I kept voicing my opinion on the can's FB page.

"quiet and non-invasive" my ass!

I'm still contending that this is nowhere near being a done deal. No matter how much propaganda Talisker puts out there.

Originally Posted by ectreeskier11

it's vuitton toby, get it right.

MAYBE HE HAS THE MADE IN VIETNAM COUNTERFEITS

What a bad idea. A very bad idea indeed.

Makes me nauseated. The canyons here are already fugged up from mining, development, etc... It would be a shame to see more of them scarred.

Originally Posted by BRUTAH

does anyone have a link to the letter the buxton's or whoever sent the FS last year asking to charge BC skiers to ski cardiff-days-silver fork area??? they wanted like $3/day or $300/season. i remember seeing it up here at some point but can't find it in a search........

Search the Wasatch Cache NF special use/permit proposal section. It's all in there.

Originally Posted by irul&ublo

MAYBE HE HAS THE MADE IN VIETNAM COUNTERFEITS

i could totally see that.

Originally Posted by ectreeskier11

i could totally see that.

isn't everything made in Vietnam now?

Anyways, it's legit cuz I bought it in at the world famous time square NYNY for $10. ...which is good cuz the price of canyons passes has gone up 40%. should be a quiet year on the ridge.

Originally Posted by Woodsy

quit acting like any of the quad canyon area has been wilderness in the even memorable recent past

Pace picante ftw
that newyork shizz aint gittin it
WFT does anyone in newjerk know about freakin picante
ski ya round picante bro
perhaps smoke ya down on the gaji
If you go to solis facefuck page you will see
"They are only doin this so the elderly, lame, mentally and physically handicapped and those way less fortunate souls without backcountry skills can access this holy terrain that ROJ the ec wonderbro discovered and turn farmed.
Funniest thing ever and I know the oompa loompa butt kissin mountain pimp typin that crap.

F*** the Canyons, Solitude, and Utah's retarded, corrupt legislature.

How much more support would conservation organizations have to fight out of control development if wilderness areas weren't anti-bike? There's a can of worms for you.

Originally Posted by skifishbum

If you go to solis facefuck page you will see
"They are only doin this so the elderly, lame, mentally and physically handicapped and those way less fortunate souls without backcountry skills can access this holy terrain

funny that is the same argument boner was using to reason the AF twins tram.

the "talisker act" is going in front of U.S. House of Representatives this week!!!

probably a good time to call your representatives!

peter metcalf killed it today on KCPW cityviews.
http://kcpw.org/blog/cityviews/2011-...of-a-ski-link/

here is the info to call your representatives:

Congressman Rob Bishop (call if you are not in his district as he will not accept your email)
(202) 225-0453
http://robbishop.house.gov/ZipAuth.aspx

Congressman Jason Chaffetz (call if you are not in his district as he will not accept your email)
(202) 225-7751
http://chaffetz.house.gov/contact/email-me.shtml

Senator Orrin Hatch
(202) 224-5251
http://hatch.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/email-orrin

Senator Mike Lee
(202) 224-5444
http://lee.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact

Congressman Jim Matheson (Encourage him to actively fight this proposal that sells off lands in his district)
(202) 225-3011
https://mathesonforms.house.gov/contact-form#dialog

FWIW, I saw a letter to congressional leaders that Peter Metcalf wrote on behalf of Black Diamond that details the company's opposition to the proposal. A number of other SLC ski business had signed the letter in support, including Voile, 4FRNT, and MFD. Props to those guys!

Thanks for posting the information Brutah. If you haven't done so, it is incredibly easy to send your comments to these "leaders." Write a short email stating your opinion, then copy and paste it to the chosen representatives. If you aren't in their district, all that happens is you are denied access to their site. You don't have to talk to anyone and all that ultimately matters is your pro/con opionon.

The idea that they are doing this as an end run around the Forest Service and the public is pure sleaze. Basically, Talisker hired a company to come up with a completely fictitious wet-dream of a report which promises that this tram and 30 acre land sale will generate 50 million dollars a year and employee 2,000+ people. In the name of increased state revenues and job creation, Hatch, Lee, Chaffetz and Bishop are trying to bypass all of the existing public opposition to sneak it in with some other bill.

For an excellent example of how this bullshit works, check out the documentary movie "The Unforeseen" which features Robert Redford.

Trailer:


In this case, an entire aquifer was destroyed by upstream development so developers, politicians and lobbyists could profit. By the time the damage is/was done, all of them had collected their paychecks and moved on - most likely to somewhere with nice clean water. The counterpart to the uber-evil lobbyist in "The Unforeseen" who is shown painting missiles and war planes, is our own two-faced sell lobbyist, Ted Wilson and his cheerleader child bride, Holly Mullen.

Just in case you decide to write these folks (and you should) the resolution is titled

H.R. 3452 - Wasatch Range Recreation Access Enhancement Act

The bill sponsor is Rep. Rob Bishop, R, UT-1

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h112-3452

Get together and design and lobby for a proper interconnect instead of having to play defense all the time.